Draft Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Bill
Foreword
Scotland's charities play a key part in providing public benefit and public good for the people of Scotland. Charities deliver effective, user-focussed services. They help cement our local communities by providing a wealth of opportunities for people to engage together in civic society. They create jobs and skills.
The Scottish public provides enormous support for charity activity, with around a million individuals volunteering for charities, and an estimated 240 million donated to Scottish charities by the public each year. The public deserves to be sure that charities in Scotland are effective, transparent and trustworthy.
I know that for charities to grow and flourish in Scotland, they need a modern, proportionate regulatory framework. Charities need public confidence in their work if they are to achieve their full potential, but they also need a regulatory environment that supports them rather than tying them in red tape.
In September last year I announced that, after listening to the sector and other stakeholders, I was committed to publishing a draft Bill to provide that regulatory framework. I also made a commitment that the sector would be fully involved in the preparation of the draft Bill, and consulted on publication of the draft.
I would like to thank all those people involved with the sector who have provided assistance and comments during our preparation of this formal consultation.
The draft Bill published here is motivated by my belief that there is a clear public interest in the effective regulation of charities in Scotland. I am absolutely committed to ensuring that the sector's needs are heard as we work towards introducing the Bill to Parliament. I am committed to ensuring we listen to all important stakeholders - that we promote the public interest in the regulation of charities, that we listen to the professions advising the sector, that we listen to staff and volunteers in charities themselves.
I believe that this draft Bill clearly sets out a comprehensive, consistent and effective regulatory system for charities in Scotland. It will modernise and simplify the framework within which they work.
I hope you will agree, and I particularly hope that you will respond to these proposals to help us get charity regulation right.
MARGARET CURRAN
Minister for Communities